EarthLink review

Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

EarthLink suits US households that want symmetrical fibre with no long minimum term, with upload speeds of 5,000 Mbps and plans listed at 1 month. The catch is what sits around the plan: Leased router $15.00 per month, plus data caps of 15 to 300 GB on the satellite tiers.

Key facts

Best for
Symmetrical US fibre with a short minimum term and strong upload.
Top download speed (Mbps)
5,000 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Upload speed (Mbps)
5,000 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Price from
$24.95 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Reference plan prices
Fiber 100 Mbps: $24.95/mo, 100 Mbps, month-to-month / Fiber 1 Gig: price by address, 1000 Mbps, month-to-month / Fiber 5 Gigs: price by address, 5000 Mbps, month-to-month (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Mid-contract price rises
12 months consistent rates then full-price plan (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Exit fee terms
Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Router
Leased router $15.00 per month (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Data cap (GB)
15 to 300 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Address checker
https://earthlink.net/internet-near-me/ (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
EarthLink, LLC (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Chat, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Technology
Fttp, 5G, Satellite
Contract length
1
Official website
earthlink.net

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaXLinkedInfacebook.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Upload of 5,000 Mbps matches download of 5,000 Mbps, and that pairing ranks 7 out of 46 compared brands.
  • Rolling terms at 1 month mean little to serve out if you move home, unlike a fixed minimum term.
  • The entry fibre tier sits at $24.95 a month on month-to-month terms, with the gigabit tiers priced by address.
  • Coverage spans fttp, 5G and satellite in the United States, so homes without a fibre line still have a route to service.

Cons

  • Hardware is a recurring extra: Leased router $15.00 per month sits on top of the plan price every month.
  • The entry rate is introductory only: 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan.
  • Satellite tiers are metered, with data limits of 15 to 300 GB for heavier users to watch.
  • Term plans carry Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early, so leaving early is not free.
EarthLink

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Scored 9.5 / 10 by TariffCue.

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Who it suits

  • Households in US on fibre who send large files, back up to the cloud or run video calls upstream.
  • People who prefer short commitments, with plans listed at 1 month.
  • Remote workers and creators who judge a connection on upload, since 5,000 Mbps upstream matches the download figure.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Astound, if cable alongside fibre matters, since Astound lists cable and fttp while EarthLink's list is fttp, 5G and satellite.
  • Kinetic, if you want a straightforward fibre-only supplier, since Kinetic lists fttp.
  • Abissnet, if a single-technology provider suits you better, since Abissnet lists fttp and EarthLink carries a wider fttp, 5G and satellite range.

Where it sits among rivals

Ranked across the comparison, EarthLink looks different on each measure. Upload is the strong one, at 7 out of 46 brands compared. Max download sits much further back at 22 of 114, and price from ranks 33 of 95. Read together, the symmetrical range is the reason to shortlist it, while the headline download figure and the entry price are ordinary.

What it does well

Headline speeds reach 5,000 Mbps down and 5,000 Mbps up, so the two directions line up exactly. That symmetry is what counts for anyone pushing large files, backing up to the cloud or running video calls from home, because upstream capacity is usually the limit on those. The top tier therefore suits heavy two-way use as much as heavy downloading.

Who runs it

Service is contracted with EarthLink, LLC, a company based in the US and selling into US. Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, so there is a phone line, live chat and a self-service help centre. A named contracting entity matters when you need terms in writing, such as equipment charges or the early termination charge.

How EarthLink compares

Where EarthLink is available

Available
United States

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

How much does EarthLink broadband cost at the entry price?+

The entry fibre tier is $24.95 a month on month-to-month terms. The gigabit and multi-gigabit tiers above it are priced by address, so what you actually pay depends on the fibre available at your street. Get a quote for your address before putting it against other offers.

Does the entry price stay the same after the introductory period?+

Not necessarily. The published rate is introductory: 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan. The figure you sign up on is therefore not the figure you keep, and the full-price plan rate takes over once the consistent-rate period ends. Budget for a higher monthly amount beyond that point.

Is there a contract, and what does leaving early cost?+

Rolling plans are listed at 1 month, so there is little to serve out on those. If you do take a term plan, Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early applies, which is a real cost to weigh if you expect to move during the term or work from a second address.

What speeds can EarthLink fibre actually deliver?+

The top of the range reaches 5,000 Mbps down and 5,000 Mbps up, so upstream matches downstream rather than trailing it. Lower tiers sit under that, and each plan's price is listed by address, so the speed and the cost move together depending on what is available.

Does EarthLink serve homes without fibre?+

Yes. EarthLink offers fttp, 5G and satellite in the United States, so service is not limited to fibre lines. Homes with no fibre connection can still order service, though the satellite option comes with data caps of 15 to 300 GB, which is worth testing against how much the household streams and backs up.

Are there set-up or equipment charges?+

Equipment is the standing extra cost: Leased router $15.00 per month. That is a recurring monthly charge on top of the plan price rather than a one-off, so it belongs in any comparison against offers that look cheaper on paper. Terms for leaving early are set out separately as Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early.

How do you reach EarthLink support?+

Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, giving you a phone line, live chat and a help centre for self-service questions. The phone line matters most when a connection is down or an install is due, while live chat suits quick factual questions and the help centre suits setup work.

Who runs EarthLink and where is it based?+

Service is contracted with EarthLink, LLC, headquartered in the US and selling into US. The named entity is the one that sets the service terms in the agreement, including equipment charges and the early termination charge, so keep your copy with any quotes you take.

Sources

Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Setup fee.

EarthLink

EarthLink

Symmetrical US fibre with a short minimum term and strong upload.

9.5/10See alternatives

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